thoughts about September

Life just moves along at an ever-increasing pace.

I remember when I had only young kids people would tell me to enjoy it now because it goes so fast.  

I used to feel annoyed by that sometimes because I thought I was enjoying it even though it was hard.

I think once you get to the point that your kids are leaving you wish you had taken more time to have fun when your kids were little.

I'm not very good at that.

I always think work comes first and then fun.

But in all reality -- the work is NEVER done.

I'm really good at taking the moments to talk and laugh with my kids.

They are truly my best friends (along with my sweetheart of course).

But, I need to take my kids out and play more!

The weekend before Tanner left on his mission we took our kids to the Wellness Center right up the road from us.  We played soccer, volleyball, and had a delicious picnic.  It was a perfect night, and I'll forever remember that day.  I seriously don't remember if my house was clean that day or if I got all my laundry done.  It was just a little piece of heaven.  

Tanner has been gone for over a month now and it's gone really fast.

I got to talk to him for 45 minutes when he flew out to Montana.

He taught me a really important lesson from his time at the Missionary Training Center.  This is from his email at the MTC:   Prayer has been my absolute best friend! At first the days were so very long and they got increasingly worse. I didnt wanna be here, I missed home and all you guys, I didnt like my companion or my district, I hated everything! Then an answer to my prayers came. I had been worrying about the "I" in everything. I was homesick. I didn't like everyone. I didn't like this place. I was having a rough time. In my prayers I kept saying: help me feel better. Help me do better.....I prayed really really hard to be able to turn away from myself and lose myself for his sake. I just got on my knees and said "Ok Im here. Do what you will with me." I knew I needed to forget myself and so I tried it! I prayed to love my companion and love what I was doing and more importantly I prayed for others to feel comfort and I prayed for my investigators....and Honestly I havent even thought about home in a sad way since then! I absolutely love my companion. I love my district. I love this work. I love it here!  You don't need to worry about me:) One of the biggest lessons Ive learned so far is how much I need my savior and really how to rely on him. I love the gospel and I know it is the truth! 

I'm so proud of that boy!  It is much easier for me when I know he's happy.
I'm totally going to use that too - I need to stop thinking of me and let the Lord lead my actions.

Life is hard.  We might as well laugh and love and have faith and help each other get through it!

the district 

good things:

Monday p-day (missionary e-mails coming soon!)

walking on grass without shoes

fuzzy jackets